CCTV Systems

In May 2016 we were asked by Raunds Town Council in Northamptonshire to install a CCTV system around the Town Hall, neighbouring Multi Use building and in key areas around the small old market towns centre and main travel routes within their budget.

Following survey, round table meeting and feedback as to the areas of concern, and by utilising the electricity supply from a number of Council owned lighting columns, we identified all locations that would need to be supported by individual cameras − in total X camera would be installed. With coverage agreed we then explored usage − the town council asking for two options: one installing individual NVR's to support each install location (Stand Alone System) and another with a Metropolitan Wifi Network to allow same said cameras to be viewed centrally from the Town hall (Network System). The Network solution required a third party specialist company to build a Metropolitan Wifi Link across the town duly flying one of their engineers to Raunds to survey and propose accordingly. Full proposals were provided in June 2016 and subsequent meetings and tweaks over the prevailing months led to a final proposal submission (Issue 3) in September 2016.

The town council decided to install our standalone solution in the first instance and wanted to discuss the Network solution in support to the installation thereafter − a key issues being the proposed system by the third party required “hops” to be installed to lampposts that the Town Council had no ownership of and therefore they needed to seek permission. The need for the CCTV coverage was however pressing, so the council opted to continue multi party discussions in respect of the network but to press forward with the CCTV elements we had proposed. Following completed order forms, risk assessments and planning the CCTV systems were installed in November 2016. Use of the system was made via the NVR within the building the Town Hall for the Town Hall cameras, within the Multi Use Building for the cameras installed to that building and via a direct connection in situ at the base of each lamp post. During the install process, the town council then asked that we survey and propose inclusion and coverage of a a further location to the system − known as the Champion Pizza location, which was duly surveyed and quoted to also include a network port here allowing permissible users to connect directly to the NVR and therefore the connected camera/s. The Town Council took this under discussion internally − it was not added to the install at the time. With the installation complete, training for the client was provided and handover completed in November 2016.

The Town Council recontacted us in July 2017 − so pleased were they with the system installed that they now wanted to add the coverage the proposed Champion Pizza quotation would provide. This was duly installed for them in August 2017.

At this time the Town Council asked if the metropolitan Wi Fi solution could be revisited as they were still considering this and we contacted the third party on their behalf to ask they make contact with the Town Council to pick up the conversation once again.

In May 2019, Jake Sturgess was appointed by Scorpion Security as the new account manger for the account and he duly made contact with the Town Council and attended an introductory meeting. During this meeting Jake asked if the Metropolitan Wi-Fi solution had progressed and the council advised that the conversation had effectively fizzled out with the third party as the use of the system was working for them versus the budget required to install the Wi-Fi solution. Jake mentioned that there were now viable alternatives that may be within budget. It was agreed that a solution would be proposed as an alternate to the third party proposal, this was submitted that month.

In September 2019, when discussing maintenance the proposal was discussed again and the Town Council, with a proposal that was less than half the cost of the original Wi-Fi solution decided to go ahead and placed the order . However, they still needed to get final permission in order that we could install the solution. Over the coming 6 months we would meet with the Town Council, they’re appointed electricians and Balfour Beatty to discuss line of sight and therefore the identified lamp posts needed. We also marked these lampposts out for all parties and the Town Council arranged for the minor electrical works to be undertaken by the electricians prior to the install.

Having not heard as to the electricians progress we recontacted the Town Council in January 2020, it was arranged we would again meet with them to confirm the requirement at each location. The electricians were unable to meet on the dates proposed and this was rescheduled for February 2020 however unexpected delays for the electricians dictated that this didn’t happen and by June 2020, amidst Covid, we were still planning with them to meet on site and it was decided that the Town Council would recontact us as and when all parties were more readily available. A planned meeting did then take place in October 2020 and the power requirement was agreed and detailed to all parties.

Following internal changes at the Town Council, we met with them at the end of April 2021 and discussed the overall systems which continued to work well and picked up the conversation once again in respect of the Wi-Fi solution − it was discussed that they would speak with the electricians to see what stage they were at. By May 2021 the electrician had confirmed that some of the work had been done. There continued to be discussions about the solution at Scorpion Security and new technologies changed the proposal to one that was more fitting to the works in situ, this was notified to the Town Council in January and further surveys were conducted and a series of tests. Satisfied that we had another solution that could be installed without any further changes or additional works by third parties, Scorpion began the Wi-Fi solution installation in May 2022.

Despite the rise in overheads and inflation over the 6 years, hardware costs had in fact reduced which enabled us to still come in on the council’s original budget. Throughout the years we’ve built a trusted relationship with the client by regularly communicating the progress we were making and were pleased to have finally been able to provide a productive Wi-Fi solution to the towns CCTV system to help speed their review processes in response to incidents for the benefit of not just the council themselves but response parties and the resident of the town.